Package for canned goods



Oct. 28,1941. w. M..VOGEL 2,260,959

PACKAGE FOR CANNED GOODS Filed April 10, 1940 INVENTOR.

Y BY flogel WTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES: PA EN 2,260,959 Q 7 I I PACKAGE FOR CANNED Goons William Martin Vogel, Montclair, N. J.

Application April 10,1940, Serial No. 328,815

1 Claim.

This invention relates to commercial packages or shipping cases, and. more particularly to a package consisting of an outer shipping container, such as a cardboard carton or a wooden packing case, within which is contained a plurality oi filled receptacles, such as cans of beer, soda or any other liquids or solids.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide, in a package of the character described, a drinking or other empty receptacle preferably shaped and ornamented to resemble a beer stein, to be subsequently used by the purchaser of the package or case, such receptacle being so arranged as to shape and size that it may be readily fitted within the outer container Without requiring rearrangement of the contents thereof and without necessitating the employment of a larger container than usual. I attain this desired result by the employment of a drinking receptacle of such a size and shape that it conforms in shape to one of the cans in the container, but is slightly larger in size than said can,

whereby the receptacle can be fitted over the can, or the can may be nested within the receptacle so that the space required in the container for the receptacle is insignificant and does not require the use of a larger container.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a commercial package of the character described, a drinking receptacle which will fit over a can, and which will be provided with a handle of such a size and shape that the same will fit between a plurality. of cans placed in side-byside relationship within a shipping container to thereby occupy what is now unused space in the container.

I am aware that it is old in this art to nest receptacles of special shapes and sizes in order to conserve space, and particularly in lunch boxes, picnic sets, campers sets, and the like. However, in such arrangements, the outer re ceptacle or container in which the dishes, cups and the like are contained and held is usually specially shaped and sized to fit its contents, rather than the contents being shaped and positioned to fit within a standard outer receptacle. I therefore make no claim to such arrangements, since my invention contemplates the combination of a normally shaped outer container of conventional size housing a number of like, uniformly shaped, filled receptacles in closely spaced rela-' tion, and the provision of an empty drinking receptacle corresponding in shape to one of the filled receptacles and of an increased size thereover only suificient to enable it to closely fit ing the relationship of said receptacle with respect to the others in the container and without.

requiring an increase in size or change in shape of said container.

These and other objects are attained by the structure herein described and more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, Fig. l is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a case, carton or container for canned goods, such as canned beer, showing how a drinking receptacle or cup is accommodated; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the drinking receptacle or cup, showing how it fits over one of the filled cans in the container; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the drinking receptacle.

In the drawing, I indicates a shipping container, case or carton within which a plurality of filled cans 2 are contained, the cans being in side-by-side relationship in the conventional manner, and in one or more layers. The cans are packed closely together in the case, possibly even more so than shown in the drawing, so that the number of cans contained in the case fits snugly within it, the case being usually made of corrugated cardboard or similar material.

At 3 is shown a drinking cup or mug, the same being more or less shaped and decorated to resemble a beer stein. Projecting from its wall is a handle 5. The cup is preferably but not necessarily, made of sheet metal and it is of such shape and size that it snugly fits over one of the cans 2 in the case. It will thus be apparent that since the cup will fit over one of the cans, it will occupy little space in the container or case and thus, one or more of these cups can be readily accommodated within a shipping container without necessitating the employment of a larger container than usual.

It will also be observed that since the cans 2 are of cylindrical form, a space 4 is formed between each group of four cans so that when the cup 3 is placed over one of the cans in the group, the handle 5 of the cup may bereceived in said space 4 and will thus occupy what is now waste space in containers for canned goods. Since the cup fits over one of the cans and has its handle accommodated in waste space be: tween the cans, it will be clear that, if desirable, several of these cups may be packed in a container holding a plurality of cans, Without requiring an increase in container size. The convenience in packing one or more drinking receptacles in a carton of conventional shape and size without decreasing the number of filled cans in the carton, and the advantage in supplying these drinking receptacles to the consumer will be readily apparent.

Another advantage of the arrangement herein shown is that it does not require re-arrangement of the cans in the container or case to accommodate the cup or cups, and thus a departure from conventional packing methods is unnecessary.

What I claim is:

A package comprising a rectangular container of conventional size in which at least four filled cans of like size and shape are packed, said cans being arranged in slightly spaced side-by-side relationship in at least two rows, said cans being all of like cylindrical shape and forming spaces between them, a drinking receptacle of a shape similar to that of the cans and of slightly larger size fitting over one of the cans in the container, said drinking receptacle having a handle por tion extending from one side thereof and fitting into the space between four of the cans when said drinking receptacle is disposed over one of the cans, said drinking receptacle being capable of fitment over any one of the cans in the container.

WILLIAM MARTIN VOGEL. 

